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I am looking to get out of the Northeast and have spent the all my vacation time in the last 5 years looking for a "better" place to live. I like rural areas and like most people hate high taxes and have come to hate the winter cold and slop. I have been all over the southeast and in all my travels I keep coming back to eastern Tennessee. The Townsend/Gatlinburg area is our favorites. I'll spend 2 weeks there the end of next month and plan to do alot of time on the motorcycle. If I wasn't taking the bike down on a trailer I would take the bus this year.This trip might just make up my mind. I have a good 10 years before real retirement and will need to take on work.

At today's prices I will pay about $3600.00 for fuel oil this year to heat the house and hot water. My electric runs about $100.00 per month average. Property taxes - house and cars - $7500.00 per year. This is Connecticut. I think it would be cheaper elsewhere. With expenses like these it makes it difficult to take my bus out. I cannot and will not retire here.

When we last drove through Tennessee a few months back, I liked the diesel prices - at least compared to Illinois. And - lots more busses! With Nashville being around, lots of entertainer coaches. Fun for me to see anyways. Lots of places to take the bus. It 'seemed' bus-friendly to me. I've been around parts of the country where that wasn't necessarily the case. Beautilful country!!! Beautiful camping - with busses in a lot of campgrounds. Fun for me!

Don't know about general living costs exc. the diesel we bought, and some hot dogs. Hopefully some folk from Tennesse may chime in. Danny has involvement down Tennessee way...

I believe "Busted Knuckle" is in or very near Tenn. Don't know about living near Gatllinburg...you should try that area out on weekends during the summer months....or better, the leaf season...and not on your bike. Sort of like living at the beach during vacation months. Too many people and not enough roads. Definitely nice country and people..and bus friendly. If you want to get South, try South Carolina...cheap to live in, stay up in the northwest or southwest and you got mountains...and the proximity of Atlanta, Columbia, Chattanooga, and Charlotte all offer many amenities...you may not need a job of course...just assuming you may. You better be a theme-park mechanic or a musician to survive in Gatlinburg! Unless you really get out into the boonies, the good home-buiding places are going fast...I recommend you find a place soon. Much less expensive to live down here. While I'm not a Tenn Busnut, I am a North Carolina Busnut that spends a good bit of time up in the area you describe. One good thing about Gatlinburg, you're not far from the "Dragon" (Deal's Gap)...if you ride performance bikes...if not, a few big cruisers have made it down the mountain intact. Got biker weekend at Myrtle Beach coming up too...yep, this is a nice area in which to live. I'm in Charlotte, and can be in Gatlinburg in about 3 hours, the beach in 3 hours, and the taxes aren't too bad, property is cheap when compared to Conn. Come on down! Best, JR

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JR Lynch , Charlotte, NC87 MC9, 6V92TA DDEC, HT748R ATEC

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others.”

Might want to look at West Virginia. My property taxes on $150,000 home is $650 per year. Land is generally less than $1000 an acre and we only had about 2 inches of snow last winter and only a few days where the temperature dropped below freezing. Richard

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Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, a good Reisling in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming: WOO HOO, what a ride

OK I lied just a little I love it here in GOD'S COUNTRY, wouldn't trade it for the world! I mean the whole world! I live on the far west end of TN on the KY stateline. I'm not real close to the Gatlinburg area, beautiful place I love visiting there as it is awsome scenery and tourist country galore!!! I hate driving a bus over there as traffic is always bumper to bumper stop light to stop light! And the lights are numbered so tourist can find their way around! Like I said I love the Area but it's a tourist trap, if it were me I;d look north east or north west of the Gatilinburg area or maybe even farther west like toward middle or western TN but that is just my opinion!I've been here 5 yrs and looking to find a place like I'm renting now to buy! But only if it's out in the country with about 15-20 acres and secluded with plenty of room for a bus shop at least as big as my 60X40 or hopefully 60X100! Busted Knuckle

Hi Rube This is mt first post on this board,but i have been reading this board for quite a while now.I figured this would be a good way to get started.We live on the cumberland plateau, a little place called Muddy pond, about 30 miles north of Crossville.We are about half way between Nashville and Knoxville.The Gatlinburg ,Pigeonforge areas are very crowded during the summer and fall but the other months arent to bad.When you get away from the tourist traps even in the tourist season there are alot of nice 'normal' places to go to.Our area is seeing a large growth spurt from people leaving florida and northeast. Tenn. has no income tax but has high sales tax up to 10% in the tourist traps.The flying J at knoxville amost always has the cheapest fuel in the state. Our county has low property taxes as is the norm away from tourist traps and large metro areas. Alot of beautiful clean lakes,golf courses and state parkes. Its agreat place to live Jerry Wilson 1966-4107-071

thanks for the replies... we like the area most in Townsend which is rural. Newport and Cosby area is also nice. We don't want to get in an area that has explosive growth but also don't want to be in east bumfxx if you know what i mean. We like the mountains and also like the lakes down there. I am thinking we need to delay our trip a month and go during the tourist season to see what it is really like.

Ruby you sound like a wise man, waiting until tourist season is an excellant way of seeing what I mean about the traffic! Yes there are a lot of beautiful lakes & mountains in east TN over hear on my end we just have ugly ol KY Lake & Lake Barkley which make up the horrible Land between the Lakes area, and also like right next door is the nasty Reelfoot Lake bad place! Big Ol' Eagles fly'n round and stuff, huge crappie, bass, perch, catfish and others over crowded with ducks during hunting season no good reason to check out western TN we hate it! I'd rather be somewhere where it takes 30 mins to go 2 miles than to be out here where we can make it 30 miles in 25 mins! Ok maybe I'm a little partail to our relatively quite peaceful and uninvaded area! We love the Yankee vistors that pass thru and visit, it's the Damn Yankees (won't go home) we have a problem with! LOL just kidd'n come on down bring lots of $ and wire home for more stay till the bank runs dry! Just make sure ya fill yer gas tank before it does! LOL Ok may not be that bad, by the way I love the New Port area the lake is awsome! Busted Knuckle

I live in Middle Tennessee and have all my 47 years. Pretty good place to live if you like true 4 seasons - rolling hills, and a lower cost of living (in most cases). Friendly folks for the most part. Big cities are just that - but get out and things are pretty nice. Land taxes run about 600.00/ yr for a 100,000 house. Sales taxes will get you - it is 9.75%. Just don't buy anything and you'll do fine. Average house prices in the Cookeville area is probably about 85,000 for a older nice little 3 bed room. House prices around here have really gone up in the past ten years. If you are wanting culture - Middle Tennessee may not be for you. However, there are places in TN that might fit the bill. A lot of crafts and music (blues, country, bluegrass, etc.) Civil war history is everywhere. While no Native American Reservations are in Tennessee, the Indian flavor is all around if you look for it. There are several lakes and rivers all around the Cookeville area. I can be to four different major lakes in a one hour's drive. Anyway - so much for that.

Danny

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I have heard it said, "life comes at you fast". I didn't know it would be in the shape of a bus :-)